28th PATPA Partnership Meeting on the transition to the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) and the Global Stocktake (GST)
On June 07, 2023, the Secretariat of the Partnership on Transparency in the Paris Agreement (PATPA) hosted its 28th Partnership Meeting on the side-lines of the SB58 in Bonn, Germany.
The Partnership Meeting is among PATPA’s key global events taking place regularly on the side-lines of UNFCCC negotiations. The meeting serves as an informal forum for networking and exchange of transparency experts and is organized in close coordination and with guidance from the Founding Members of PATPA – Germany, the Republic of Korea, and South Africa. This year’s Partnership Meeting brought together negotiators and practitioners from partner countries and international organizations to discuss the relevance of the political outcome of the Global Stocktake (GST) as well as the transition to the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF).
In his introductory remarks, Mr. Konrad Raeschke-Kessler, Policy Officer of the German Federal Foreign Office, pointed out the strong synergies between the Global Stocktake and the implementation of the Enhanced Transparency Framework, which results into a crucial input for future NDC updating cycles. He further highlighted the importance of implementing the ETF, as it will increase the awareness and knowledge of national governments and the international community on what has already been achieved, what is working and what is not, and what is still needed to keep global warming below 1.5°C.
Mr. Yang-dong Kim, Director of the GHG Reduction Research Team, Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Research Center of Korea shared Korea’s perspective on the Global Stocktake (GST) in form of a Lightning Talk, which was followed by a participant discussion in small groups on the topic. Participants stated that the outcome of the GST is expected to be an accelerator for scaling up climate action. They hope that it will become an instrument that guides countries in enhancing their efforts to implement more successful measures to tackle climate change. Participants also notes that the success of the GST will depend on the efforts of all parties. Furthermore, it was shared, that transparency and its Enhanced Transparency Framework are an important contribution to the GST and will become even more important at the next GST in 2027.
This position was further underlined by the contribution from Mr. Maesela Kekana, Deputy Director-General of Climate Change and Air Quality at the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, who presented South Africa’s perspective on the ETF. In his Lightning Talk, Mr. Kekana underlined, that the Submission of BTRs in 2024 is one of the key milestones in the implementation of the Paris Agreement. At the group discussions that followed it was agreed that the implementation of the ETF should not be a burden for countries, but rather a useful tool to understand the impact of policies and measures as well as progress in the implementation of the NDCs. Implementation of the ETF is also seen as a powerful tool to build mutual trust in the international community. During the discussion, it became clear, that countries have already gained valuable experience in dealing with reporting requirements under the Convention. Nevertheless, even for developed countries, preparing the first BTRs will be challenging. This having said, countries should not strive to develop “masterpieces”, but rather ensure reports are submitted in a timely manner and continuously improved over time. Finally, it is key that support for developing countries to establish/improve robust transparency system is available.
After the 28th Partnership Meeting, the PATPA Secretariat (on behalf of the founding members) would like to extend its sincere gratitude to all the participants and their trust in PATPA. The Partnership lives through the variety of committed partners and the opportunity to exchange and learn from each other, especially during such constructive and enjoyable evenings on issues of great importance to us all.
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